Those services don't require a separate set-top box, but Xbox 360 users will need to subscribe to Microsoft's Xbox Live Gold service, which runs $60 per year, to get them. Customers with the Kinect accessory can navigate them with hand gestures and voice commands. Microsoft says U.S. Gold subscribers spend an average of 84 hours a month on the Xbox Live service.
Comcast's initial offering on the console is largely limited to its on-demand TV Everywhere content, including HBO fare and Streampix, its new premium-level streaming service. (See Comcast Goes OTT to Target Netflix, Hulu Plus .)
Comcast has said it will explore the addition of live TV channels on the Xbox 360 and, at least for now, is not letting customers authenticate on the separate HBO GO app, presumably because the MSO wants to keep control of the user interface. Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) currently isn't allowing access, either. However, several other pay-TV providers are, including Dish Network LLC (Nasdaq: DISH), Cox Communications Inc. , Charter Communications Inc. , AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE: CVC), WideOpenWest Holdings LLC (WOW) , Suddenlink Communications , Massillon Cable TV Inc. and RCN Corp.
MLB.TV is a baseball junkie's dream, providing live access to most out-of-market Major League Baseball games (local games and Saturday afternoon games are blacked out), real-time stats, condensed games and game highlights.
Why this matters
The launch marks Comcast's first video offering on a gaming console, joining fellow U.S. pay-TV providers, Verizon and AT&T, and it's likely to mark the start of more Xfinity TV introductions on other CE platforms in the months ahead. While Comcast's current lineup is limited to VoD, Verizon offers VoD and a subset of linear TV channels, and AT&T is capable of piping in its entire U-verse TV service with the addition of a $99 hardware kit.
For more
- Comcast's Xbox App Raises Net Neutrality Concerns
- Comcast Won't Cap Xbox 360 Streaming
- Comcast, Verizon Connect With the Xbox 360
- Microsoft's Pursuit of 'Input 1'
— Jeff Baumgartner, Site Editor, Light Reading Cable
Although getting TV Everywhere content to the Xbox 360 is a good first step for MSFT and Comcast, they'll need to add live TV to the mix soon to make the app and the console more compelling once the novelty wears off. Makes me curious when Comcast will start to support a managed IP video simulcast that could fit the bill...
In the meantime, I am excited to see MLB.TV make it onto the Xbox so I can catch live out of market games on the big screen. JB